ON BATTLEFRONT IN GREECE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 April 1941, Page 5

ON BATTLEFRONT IN GREECE

No Major Attack Opened by Germans TWO SHIPS AT VALONA SUNK BY FLEET AIR ARM ONLY GUERILLA FIGHTING IN YUGOSLAVIA (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, April 16. Although British troops in Greece are in contact with the enemy along- the whole of the front held by them, there is no sign yet of a major attack by the Germans. At the moment it appears that the Germans are trying to ascertain the dispositions of the British forces by means of patrols. Although German mechanised columns have penetrated deep into Northern Greece they have not yet reached the new Allied defence line, running from westward of Mt Olympus through mountainous country, in which it is difficult for mechanised forces to operate. Continual and heavy attacks are being made by the R.A.F. on enemy communications and bases. Aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm, in an attack on Valona. Harbour, sank a 6,000-ton merchant ship and a 7,000-ton ammunition ship. LUFTWAFFE FARES BADLY Germany’s fleet of dive-bombers suffered further losses in attacks on the Empire forces’ communications and bases in Greece when an attack was made on Piraeus Harbour. Five were shot down and others so severely damaged that they were unlikely to reach their base. Slight damage was done to R.A.F. property. Already one R.A.F. squadron has just accounted for its 100th enemy aircraft in the Balkans. (One pilot officer has shot down five enemy planes in the past few days. POSITION IN YUGOSLAVIA The situation in Yugoslavia remains obscure. Unified and controlled resistance by Yugoslavia appears to have ceased, but guerilla warfare continues. The situation, according to London sources, cannot be regarded with optimism. The German Air Force has suffered heavy losses in the attack on Yugoslavia, according to a pilot who has just returned. from that country. He states that 135 'German planes were destroyed in the first two days of the attack on Belgrade. He believed that Yugoslav fighters, bombers and anti-aircraft gun fire accounted for nearly 300 enemy planes.